Hamilton ties Reds rookie stolen base record

PITTSBURGH -- It appears that a Reds rookie stealing 54 bases happens only once a century. In the seventh inning of Sunday's 3-2 victory over the Pirates, Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton swiped second following an infield single. It gave Hamilton 54 stolen bases, tying the 105-year-old rookie record set by Bob Bescher in 1909.

Bescher also holds the Reds' single-season stolen base record of 81, set in 1911.

Before the game, Hamilton was not aware he was on the verge of setting a club record.

"It's not about records or numbers ... you want to win," Hamilton said. "Records are good things, but I realize the year I tried to break the record in Double-A (155 steals in 2012), I was thinking about it so much that it actually slowed me down. I went back to playing the game and it just happened."

Hamilton's stolen base total is the most for any Reds player since Deion Sanders swiped 56 bases in 1997.

Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.